Who is Magpie?

A safe location was established for the injured in the banquet room, and once Talia and the baby were secure Willow shifted to stand guard of them while Tidas took over directing those outside. Some of the buildings that where beyond saving were left to burn, focusing on the areas they could salvage and to concentrate their forces.

While Tidas and Ezekiel were shifted outside, bringing a traitor in by their scruff to the waiting guards, a sharp pain coursed through Ezekiel’s chest, and he heard a scream in the distance. He collapsed to the ground and others around their land whimpered as well, feeling the pain through Ezekiel’s mind link.

“That’s Jessa,” he gasped, moving back to his feet. “I have to go.”

“I can take over here, go son.” Tidas took over dragging the wolf in and Ezekiel took off in the last direction he had felt his brother moving. The scents had been muddled in the immediate area around the gate, with so many fleeing as the Ashford pack got control of the situation, but farther out he was sure he could find it again.

Delano and Kai flanked him, with others rerouting in the same direction. No one was taking any chances with their leader after what had already happened, and feeling Jessamine’s pain had only made them more eager to help. Ezekiel could pick out his brother’s trail along the way, catching it here and there with enough accuracy to get him into the general area, and from there he called out in their mindlink.

He could feel him, but it was weak and that struck all kinds of worry within a Ezekiel. “Bronx!” He called again with a howl out loud.

The only response was a soft whimper but it was enough. They altered their direction and came up on Bronx’s large black wolven form lying bleeding with a blood soaked piece of fabric pressed beneath his paw.

“Fuck, Brother,” Ezekiel managed through the link, the bitter smell of blood was overwhelming. “Where is he?” He growled lowly, ready to charge off.

“Gone.” He whined out loud, his breathing laboured and he coughed blood. “We had him, we fucking had him. If Jessa’s aim had been anything less than perfect I’d be dead.”

“Where is she? Wait, her aim? She shot you? Was it silver?” Ezekiel had two of his men with medical training shift back to inspect his injuries.

“She was aiming at Azural. She went with him, I couldn’t protect her.” Bronx muttered, trying to move.

“Do not get up, not until they’ve assessed you. Tell me what happened,” Ezekiel urged. “He won’t kill her, we’ll get her back.”

One of those working with Bronx found the bullet laying in the grass and showed it to Ezekiel. The bad news was that it was silver, and it brought his attention to the fabric, recognizing it as what Jessamine was wearing, as well as the pins left in the grass.

“It was Jessamine, she got the bullet out, and bartered for the rest of his Sanaberry for my wound if she went.” Bronx thought through all the ways it could have been different.

If they hadn’t let her fight Athena, she wouldn’t have been injured when it came time to fight. If he had been honest about their bond sooner, she would have healed faster. If they had sent her to hide inside, she couldn’t have given herself up.

“She knows we’ll bring her back, we can’t bring you back if you bleed out. She made a judgement call, the right call.” Ezekiel pressed his forehead to his brother’s. “You’d be telling me the same.”

These are the words he said, the words he needed to say, because the words he was thinking weren’t helpful. He connected with his team to bring one of the sleds to get Bronx back for aid and glared strongly at Delano and Kai.

“Are you loyal to the Ashford pack?” He demanded.

“Yes Alpha,” they answered together against their control.

“Are you loyal to your Luna, Jessamine Hemlock?” He demanded again.

“Yes Alpha,” they responded again.

He growled fiercely. “Would you ever wish harm to your pack or Jessamine?”

“No Alpha,” they confirmed.

“Then you will follow the rogue’s trail, figure out where it leads…”

“No,” Bronx interrupted. “Follow his beta. I injured him pretty bad, Azural took off without him. He was slow going. He can lead you to their hide out.”

Ezekiel nodded. “Listen to him. Go.”

They took off and Bronx groaned in the link as they moved him on to the sled. The medical team had brought better things to slow the bleeding than half a dress, and rode on the sled to keep up pressure and monitor vitals. He was getting weaker by the minute, but, despite the pain, had time to feel useless in everything going on.

“I’m going to check her trail.” Ezekiel mind linked quickly before Bronx was pulled away. “I’ll never forgive myself if I don’t and she got away.”

Bronx nodded in understanding. They both knew anything short of her killing Azural wouldn’t give her enough time to limp away, and she had been drugged. Even as she tended to him, Bronx could feel her focus waver as she tried to stay alert and attentive.

The pain of being shot was more than he could have imagined, but the pain he felt from Jessamine drowned it out entirely. Being grateful she loved him enough for that sort of pain was a short-lived positive spin, until the worry of leaving her took over. It would be one thing, for him, to die for Jessamine, but it was another for her to believe she had killed him and he had failed her.

It was another night that was meant to be special and happy for her where something terrible happened. Ezekiel kept his link open with his brother as long as he could, but when he came to a road he was too far to update him.

The tire tracks were clearly visible in the mud, and he could smell the trail he’d followed to the drivers side, and then there was another smell. This one stayed around the car but joined with Jessamine as they apparently entered the back.

He couldn’t track a car, the trail from this end was cold, but he hoped Delano and Kai were having better luck. Hating that there was nothing more he could do, he returned to travelling back with Bronx. His bleeding had improved but he was still weak, the silver causing a world of problems in his stomach.

As they entered the pack grounds, Bronx condition had turned suddenly worse and he was rushed for surgery. Their medical wing destroyed and staff injured or worse, everyone that was called to come and help, hurried to set up a space.

Ezekiel was asked to leave as they began, and he went to inform his family of the circumstances.

“Jessamine is a tuff girl, she will find a way to survive,” Willow assured, holding the new baby while Talia was eating. “If I had met her on her own, I wouldn’t have been surprised that her personality matched with either of you, but to have two mates must mean the Goddess has big plans for her.”

Ezekiel nodded. He had done a couple of rounds to check with the injured, finding many but most of them would be better in less than a week. The only deaths had come directly from traitors, and as they were caught they were bound to silver poles outside for judgement. If they tried to shift and escape, the silver pole would run through their chest and kill them. This punishment was reserved for only the most vile of betrayals and crimes.

“As for Bronx, well we heard about the three of you at dinner. There’s no way he’s done fighting.” Willow smiled, bouncing the baby gently in her arms. “Isn’t that right Amelia.”

Talia smiled too, it was forced and exhausted looking but she tried. “Would you like to hold your little sister?” She asked Ezekiel but he shook his head.

“I’m still covered in blood mom, and I have some more work to do. There are a lot of damages, and we need to sort out housing for those that lost their rooms in the fires.” Ezekiel wiggled his finger towards Amelia. “I will come hold her after I’ve cleaned up.”

“I have called my allies in the neighbouring areas, their patrols will be on the look for her, and I want to join in the search.” Tidas stood, looking at his son, the young Alpha, who was dealing with things he had never worried about in his time.

Ezekiel shook his head. “There is no search party. I have two of my best men tracking his beta’s trail, but we need to concentrate our numbers here. They knew what they were doing, trying to make us look vulnerable, and if we don’t sort this mess out Jessa won’t have a home to come back to. I can’t risk a large search party while we still don’t know who betrayed us.”

Tidas nodded. “I’m here if you need me.”

Ezekiel popped his knuckles in determination. “I appreciate that dad, and believe me, when it’s time to go I will need you here.”